Method and composition for preventing water contaminated with industrial waste from seeping through soil containing said water

A method for containing water having dissolved there water-soluble industrial waste salts which comprises:

• dry mixing soil and a soil sealant composition consisting essentially of (A) bentonite;
• (B) a water-soluble soluble dispersing agent selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble salt of phosphoric acid, a water-soluble sulfate of the formula ROSO.sub.3 X where R is hydrocarbon of from 8 to 32 carbon atoms and X is a member selected from the group consisting of an alkaline metal or ammonium, and a water-soulble salt of leonardite;
• and (C) a water-soluble polymer selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, water-soluble salts of polyacrylic acid, hydrolyzed poly-acrylonitrile, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, copolymers of the foregoing, and a copolymer of acrylic acid and maleic anhydride, the amount of water-soluble polymer in said soil sealant composition being from 0.1% to 3.0%, by weight, and the amount of water-soluble dispersent in said soil sealant composition being from 0.1% to 3.0%, by weight, the weight ratio of water-soluble dispersent to water-soluble polymer being from 6:1-36;
• forming a water-containing enclosure from said mixture of said sealant composition and soil;
• contacting said enclosure with water-containing substantially no water-soluble industrial waste salts thereby hydrating the bentonite;
• and contacting said enclosure with the water contaminated with water-soluble industrial waste salts.